Screen Bangla: Barir Naam Shahana

Soul City Arts in Sparkbrook is screening Barir Naam Shahana (A House Named Shahana) on Thursday 5 November, from 7:00pm to 9:30pm. The film is directed by Leesa Gazi and runs for 137 minutes, with a PG-13 certificate. After the credits roll, there's a post-screening conversation, so you'll have a chance to talk through the film rather than just heading straight for the exit.

Set in 1990s rural Bangladesh, the story follows Dipa, a spirited young woman who escapes an abusive forced marriage in England. She returns home as a divorcee and, in doing so, finds herself challenging patriarchal traditions and the social stigma that comes with her status. It's a film about reclaiming independence in a place that isn't always welcoming to women who walk away.

The screening is part of Screen Bangla, a series run in partnership with London Breeze Film Festival, Soul City Arts and Komola Collective. That, in turn, sits inside Bangla Month 2026, which runs from 1 to 30 November and brings together exhibitions, performances, workshops and cultural events across the city. The month grew out of BADA (Bangladeshi Artist Development Agency), a 2023 collaboration between Legacy West Midlands, local Bangladeshi artists and community partners set up to champion the region's growing Bangladeshi artist community. BADA launched the first-ever Bangla Week in 2024, which has since expanded into this annual month-long programme.

Tickets are £9.38, and the screening is at Soul City Arts, Unit 1 Port Hope Industrial Estate, Port Hope Road, Sparkbrook, Birmingham B11 1JS. It runs from 7:00pm to 9:30pm on Thursday 5 November.